Cooking appliance



Oct. 7, 1941. `B F PARR {g1-,M 2,258,144

COOKING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. SOQ 195s as' n 5555 Q K 5 a4 sa 33 43 )s El '57 42 21 a4 2a- -as- 3 J 1s \2s 361271K M7 16 y ax n 2 z3. x4

U U W W U 1 D I I U l I z3 Y iNvENToR ESTE' 'PARE a: JRHBLMAN.

FIG.. 5 ATTORN Y Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECOOKING APPLIANCE Application November 30, 1938, Serial No. 243,285

(Cl. 21S-35) 3 Claims.

Our invention relates to a cooking appliance, more particularly to aheating unit which comprises a heating element and a cooking platformdisposed above the heating element, the heating element providingradiant heat for heating said platform when the unit is used for fryingor other cooking on said platform and radiating heat downwardly forbroiling articles of food beneath the heating unit.

An object of our invention is to provide an improved heating unit of thecharacter set forth.

A more particular object is to provide a heating unit providingsufficient cooking speed both when the heating unit is used for broilingfood beneath the heating unit and when used for cooking on the cookingplatform.

A further object is to direct the heat generated by the heating elementto the cooking platform, when the heating unit is used for cooking onsaid platform.

rlhe above recited and other objects are effected by our invention aswill be apparent from the following description and claims taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part oi' thisapplication, in willich:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a cooking applianceincorporating a heating unit in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan View of the end of the heating unitwhich is disposed at the left in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partially in section, taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modiiied form of heatingunit; and,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a part of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, we show a heating unit Il! used inconjunction with an electric roaster body II in a manner similar to thatdescribed and claimed in the patent of William J. Russell and Kenneth L.Woodman, No. 2,156,- 216, April 25, 1939. The roaster body comprises aninner casing I2' and an outer casing I3. The

inner and outer casings provide bottom, side, and L end walls for theroaster body, the corresponding wall portions thereof being arranged inspaced relation. A heating element I4 is provided on the inner casing I2as shown. A removable inset pan I5 may be provided within the innercasing H I3. The open top of the roaster body is adapted to be closed bya suitable cover (not shown).

A rack I6 is provided within the roaster body for supporting the heatingunit l0 adjacent the open top of the roaster body and also for support-55 two vertical members at each end of the rack being connected at theirupper ends by transverse members I9 which serve as handles for liftingthe rack from the roaster body. Cross bar-s 2| are als@ attached to thevertical members at each end for supporting the shelf l1 at differentheights below the heating unit IIJ. The rack I6 further compriseslongitudinal members 22 and transverse members 23 providing a grill orplatform for supporting food containers or articles of food to be heatedby the heating element I4.

The heating element I0 comprises an open radiant heating element 24, aplate member 25 above the heating element, and a heat reector 2B belowthe heating element. The plate member 25 provides a cooking platform andmay be either a casting or, as shown, a flanged sheet metal member. Theheating element 24 comprises frame members 21 and an electric resistancecoil 28 carried by the frame members and insulated therefrom. Forexample, the coil 28 may extend through insulating grommets 2'9 securedto the frame members 21 by means of strap members 3l.

The heating element is detachably connected to the plate memlber 25 inany suitable manner permitting ready separation thereof. For example,the frame members 21 of the heating element may extend through openingsin the flange of the sheet metal plate member 25 at the lefthand end, asseen in Fig. l, and a bracket 32 welded to the frame members at theright-hand end may be secured to the plate member by a thumb screw 33.

The sheet metal plate member 25 is dished to provide a central cookingsurface 34 which is suitable for frying thereon and which is encompassedby a raised or rim portion 35. Hinge brackets 35 are connected to theplate member 25 at the left-hand end. Iihe projecting portions of thesebrackets are of inverted U-shape, engaging a cross bar 35 attached tothe vertical members IS at the left-hand end of the rack. At theright-hand end, a handle 31 is mounted on the plate member in suchmanner that it may rotate about a vertical axis. In the illustratedembodiment, the handle 31 is adapted to rest on the transverse member I9for supporting the right-hand end of the heating unit thereon. Theheating unit is thus adapted to be swung upwardly about the cross bar 35to provide access to the shelf l1.

The heat reflector 26 is detachably mounted on the heating element 24.For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat reflector 26 isformed with an upturned flange 38 at the right hand end, and the centralframe member 21' extends through an opening 39 formed in said flange, asshown in Figs. l and 3. At the lefthand end, the heat reflector 26 isprovided with a recess or aperture 4l, and a thumb screw 42 extendsthrough said recess and through a tapped opening in a plate 43 welded tothe frame members 21. The heat reflector 25 may therefore be readilydetached by retracting the thumb screw 42 to release the heat reflector,then moving the latter to the right until the same disengages the thumbscrew 42 and the frame member 21 is withdrawn from the opening 39.

To use the apparatus described above for broiltions, some of the heatradiated downwardly being received directly by the food for heating thesame. The heat radiated upwardly is reilected downwardly by the lowersurface of the plate member 25. The directly radiated and the reflectedheat together provide sufficient heat for broiling the articles of foodon the shelf I'l.

When it is desired to use the heating unit l0 for frying or for othercooking on the plate member or cooking platform 25, the heat reflector25 is attached and the parts assembled in the position shown in`E'ig. 1. The food to be fried Or cooked is placed on the plate member25 and electric current supplied to the resistance coil 28. In thiscase, a portion of the heat radiated upwardly by the coil 28 is absorbedby the lower surface of the plate member 25 for heating the same. rlheheat radiated downwardly by the resistance coil 28, and also the heatreflected downwardly by the lower surface of the plate mem ber 2..., isreected upwardly by the upper sur face of the heat reflector 25. Inother words, the heat which is directed downwardly when broiling is nowreflected upwardly to the plate member 25 to pre-vide an adequate supplyof heat for frying or other cooking on the platform provided by theplate member 25, 4

In Fig. 4, we show a modified form of heating unit which is uscd in thesame manner as the heating unit of Fig. l and which is similar inconstruction except as otherwise noted. In this case. we provide a heatreflector or plate member 52. At least one surface of the plate 52 is agood heat reflecting surface, which is provided, for example, nickelplating the plate 52. Provision is made for mounting the heat reflector52 either above or below the heating element 53. For example, sheetmetal strips 54 may be welded to the frame members of the heatingelement. he strips 54 are formed with grooves arranged shown in Fig. 4,one set of grooves being dapted to support the plate 52 between theheatg element and the plate member 25, and the other set of groovesbeing adapted to support the l 52 below the heating element.

When the heating element of Fig. 4 is to be used for broiling, the plate52 is placed in the upper position, shown in dotted lines, with the heatreflecting surface on the lower side. The heat radiated upwardly fromthe heating element is reflected downwardly by said surface to thearticles of food to be broiled. When the heating unit is to be used forcooking on the plate member 25, the plate member 52 is placed below theheating element, as shown in full lines, with the heat reflectingsurface on the upper side, so as to reflect radiant heat upwardly to theplate member 25, for heating the same.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a heating unit wherein theheat generated by the heating element may be directed either upwardly ordownwardly in accordance with the nature of the cooking to be done bythe heating unit. This is of particular advantage where there arelimitations on the current that a device of this character may draw. Thepresent device provides greater cooking speed on the cooking platformthan has heretofore been obtained with such limitations.

While we have shown our invention in several forms, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof, and We desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specificallyset forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a cooking appliance, a heating unit for frying and broiling, saidheating unit comprising a horizontal metal plate member whose uppersurface includes a central frying surface and a raised portionencompassing the frying surface, an open radiant heating elementattached to said plate member on the lower side thereof and forming aheating unit therewith, said heating element being adapted to radiateheat upwardly and downwardly, the lower surface of said plate memberreflecting radiant heat downwardly when using the heating unit forbroiling, and a reflector detachably connected to said heating unit onthe lower side thereof for reflecting radiant heat upwardly to the lowersurface of said plate member when using the heating unit for frying,said reflector having at one end an upturned flange provided with anopening therein and at its other end having a marginal portion which issubstantially parallel to the main body of the reflector and which isformed with a slot extending inwardly from the edge of the marginalportion in the direction of said one end, said heating unit comprisingan element projecting through said opening in the upturned flange andmeans, including a screw extending through said slot, for clamping saidmarginal portion to the heating unit, the parts being constructed andarranged so that, after said clamping means is loosened, said reflectormay be moved longitudinally relative to the heating unit withoutcompletely removing any part of said clamping means from the heatingunit and so that, upon such longitudinal movement, said projectingelement and said screw are withdrawn from said opening and said slot,respectively, to detach the reflector from the heating unit.

2. In a cooking appliance, a heating unit for frying and broiling, saidheating unit being separate from and movable as a unit in the cookingappliance and comprising a horizontal metal plate member whose uppersurface includes a central frying surface and a raised surfaceencompassing the frying surface. an open radiant heating elementattached to said plate member on the lower side thereof and forming aunit therewith, said heating element being adapted to radiate heatupwardly and downwardly, a second plate member having a heat reflectingsurface, and means for selectively mounting said second plate memberbetween said heating element and said first plate member, for reflectingradiant heat downwardly when the heating element is used for broilingarticles of food below the heating element or mounting said second platemember below said heating element for reflecting radiant heat upwardlyto said first plate member when the heating unit is used for cooking onthe latter.

3. In a cooking appliance, a heating unit for frying and broiling, saidheating unit comprising a horizontal metal plate member whose uppersurface includes a central frying surface and a raised portionencompassing the frying surface, an open radiant heating elementattached to said plate member on the lower side thereof and forming aheating unit therewith, said heating element being adapted to radiateheat upwardly and downwardly, the lower surface of said plate memberreflecting radiant heat downwardly when using the heating unit forbroiling, and a reflector detachably connected to said heating elementon the lower side thereof for reflecting radiant heat upwardly to thelower surface of said plate member when using the heating unit forfrying, said reflector having at one end an upturned flange providedwith an opening therein and at its other end having a marginal portionwhich is substantially parallel to the main body of the reflector andwhich is formed with a slot extending inwardly from the edge of themarginal portion in the direction of said one end, said heating elementhaving a projection extending through said opening in the upturnedflange and means, including a screw extending through said slot, forclamping said marginal portion to the heating element, the Parts beingconstructed and arranged so that, after said clamping means is loosened,said reflector may be moved longitudinally relative to the heatingelement without completely removing any part of said clamping means fromthe heating element and so that, upon such longitudinal movement, saidprojection and said screw are withdrawn from said opening and said slot,respectively, to detach the reflector from the heating element.

BERNARD F. PARR. JOSEPH R. HEILMAN.

